Inflated picture holder

ABSTRACT

An inflatable holder adapted to hold a substantially rigid inner member in a substantially fixed position when the holder is inflated, the holder comprising a plurality of flexible plastic sheets whose marginal edges, when the holder is deflated, are spaced from the inner member whereas upon inflation, the edges will bear against the inner member in such a manner to hold the inner member in a substantially fixed position.

United States Patent Erickson et al.

[451 Aug. 29, 1972 [54] INFLATED PICTURE HOLDER [72] Inventors: WallaceA. Erickson, c/o John Hancock Center, Apt. 8908, Chicago, 11]. 60611;Donald K. Safstrom, 3122 Belwood Lane, Glenview, 111. 60025 [22] Filed:June 1, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 41,834

[52] US. Cl. ..40/152, 46/87, 40/10, 40/212 [51] Int. Cl ..G09f l/l2[58] Field of Search ..40/10, 10 D, 327, 212, 126, 40/152, 154, 155;206/DIG. 30; 46/87 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,300,6404/ 1919 Pasternak ..46/87 7/1950 Shufer ..46/87 3,038,539 6/ 1962 Rootet al. ..206/DIG. 30

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 234,339 5/1925 Great Britain ..46/87Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J.Contreras Attorney-Merriam, Marshall, Shapiro & Klose [5 7] ABSTRACT Aninflatable holder adapted to hold a substantially rigid inner member ina substantially fixed position when the holder is inflated, the holdercomprising a plurality of flexible plastic sheets whose marginal edges,when the holder is deflated, are spaced from the inner member whereasupon inflation, the edges will bear against the inner member in such amanner to hold the inner member in a substantially fixed position.

14 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEmuszs m2 SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTORS 2/28(Kare mam-6%,,

ATTORN EYS 0 v I f A a Wru wg INFLATED PICTURE HOLDER The invention ofthe present application relates to a new and unobvious inflatable holderfor articles and more particularly to an inflatable holder adapted tohold a substantially rigid inner member such as a picture in asubstantially fixed position when the holder is inflated.

While it has been known to enclose articles in plastic, often the facesurfaces of the articles which are encased are positioned so they willbe in substantial contact with the plastic sheets. Disadvantages existwith articles encased in this manner in that caution must be exercisednot to damage the article by improperly sealing it to the plastic.Consequently, in the manufacturing of such holders an operator must bealert not to seal the inner member to the plastic sheets in a sealingoperation. The exercise of such care, of course, adds to the time andultimately the cost associated with making the holder.

Other holder arrangements are known in which an encased article beingheld in position by the plastic sheets which bear against the surfacesof an article such as shown, for example, in US. Pat. No.3,292,339.

It has been desired to provide a holder which would enclose a rigidinner member such as a picture or the like in which the face surfaces ofthe picture are not in contact with the plastic and yet the member isheld in a substantially fixed position within the holder. The new andunobvious holder disclosed and claimed herein serves to satisfy thisneed.

Briefly, the instant invention resides in a holder, comprising plasticsheets which, in a deflated position, will have the marginal edgesspaced substantially from the marginal edges of an inner member. Inother words, the overall dimensions of the enclosing plastic sheets aregreater than the overall dimensions of the inner member. The marginaledges of the plastic sheets forming the holder are readily sealed and aconventional means for inflating the holder is provided.

Upon inflation of the holder, a substantially rigid inner member, whichcan be a decorative picture, advertisement, record album or the like,will become seated within the holder in that at least a portion of theedges of the inner member will fit snugly against the sealed edges ofthe plastic sheets to fix the position of the inner member within thesealed, inflated holder. The effect of this arrangement, aside frompresenting an aesthetic appearance, serves to prevent the face sur facesof the inner member from damage as they are substantially spaced fromthe plastic sheets forming the holder.

The invention of the application will be further understood by referenceto the specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the inflatable holder of the presentinvention in a deflated condition with the edges of the plastic sheetssealed together;

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the picture holder taken along lines2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the picture holder of FIG. 1 in aninflated condition in which the inner member is held in a substantiallyfixed position;

FIG. 4 shows an end or side view of the picture holder of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a partial sectional view of the holder of FIG. 3 takenalong lines 5-5 in FIGURE 3;

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention in which atriangular-shaped holder is depicted in an inflatable position; and,

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the present in vention in which theholder is cube-shaped and the inner members are fixed by the holderseams which are diametrically opposed to each other.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, there areshown two air or fluid impervious plastic sheets 10, 11. Preferably,these sheets are transparent so that one can view anything disposedwithin the sheets. The sheets, which can be made of a flexible materialsuch as polyvinylchloridle, polyethylene or other suitable material, areillustrated in a deflated position in FIGS. 1 and 2 and, as shown inthose figures, the dimensions of sheets 10, 11 are much larger than thecorresponding dimensions of picture insert or inner member 12. Thelength and width dimensions of sheets 10 and 11, in a deflated position,are purposely larger than the maximum length and width dimensions ofrigid member 12 so that when sheets 10 and 11 are heat sealed or joinedtogether in some other manner to form seams 14, 15, 16 and 17, rigidmember 12 will not be close to the seams thereby minimizing thepossibility of sealing ordamaging member 12 in sealing the plasticsheets.

Valve 30 which has been shown for purposes of illustration in FIG. 4only, is sealed to at least one of the sheets forming the holder topermit egress and ingress of air or other fluid. Any desirable valve maybe em ployed. The valve shown in FIG. 4 is known as a Roberts Valve,type 420-AC Presto-Seal Valve, manufactured by Halkey-RobertsCorporation, Spring Valley Avenue, Paramus, New Jersey and shown in DataSheet 2a.

Upon inflation of the holder, sheets 10 and 11 will be forced or pushedoutward as illustrated in FIGS. 3-5 whereupon the sealed edges of theplastic sheets will be drawn or will shrink into position to seatagainst a substantial portion of the edges of member 12. This is seenmore clearly in FIGS. 1 and 3 where seams 14, 15, 16 and 17 are drawninward upon inflation of the holder to substantially fit the contour ofthe marginal edges 20, 21, 22 and 23 of member 12. As the sides ofsheets 10 and 11 bulge outward away from the face surfaces 8, 9 ofmember 12 during inflation of the holder or pillow, the sealed seams 14,15, 16, and 17 are pulled inward until they come in contact with aportion of edges 20, 21, 22 and 23 of member 12 sufficient to holdmember 12 in a substantially fixed position.

FIG. 5 shows a partial cross section illustrating the manner in which aseam such as 16 aligns and contacts a substantial portion of the lengthof edge 22 of insert 12 while the face surfaces 8 and 9 of member 12 arepurposely spaced from the sheets 10 and 11.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, two triangular-shaped sheets 50 are shownsealed together about their marginal edges 52, 53 and 54 such that thetabs 57, 58 and 59 are formed at each corner of the holder 49 to providea means for holding or hanging holder 49. Other suitable fastening meanscan of course be employed. If desired, the holder of the presentinvention can be suspended from a ceiling or other surface by means of astring or other suitable means which is connected to the holder at tab40. While tabs have been shown located at the three corners of thetriangular holder, it is appreciated the tabs could be located elsewhereand that more or less tabs could be employed.

In FIGURE 7, another embodiment of the invention is shown in which acube-shaped member is employed having rigid intersecting inner members70 and 71 located within inflated plastic holder 80. Member 70 is heldin a fixed position within the holder as edges 73 and 74 nest or seatagainst welded seams 81 and 82 while member 71 is retained in positionwith edges 75 and 76 wedged against seams 83 and 84 respectively. Itwill be observed from the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7 that the entireperiphery of the inner member need not be wedged against the seams ofthe inflated holder. Rather it is important that the inner member bewedged against the seams of the holder at a sufficient number of points,such as the three points of FIG. 6, to assure that no substantialmovement of the inner member will occur within an inflated holder.

In one application an inner member comprising a record album havingdimensions of about 12-% inches square by one-sixteenth inch thick wasenclosed within two plastic sheets approximately 14-56 inches by 13-78inches and about 0.015 inches thick. The sheets were sealed about theirmarginal edges and the holder inflated with air. As the sheets of theholder bulged outward upon inflation of the holder, the seams pulledinward and wedged against the edges of the album thereby retaining thealbum in a substantially fixed position within the holder.

One method of manufacturing the holder of the present inventioncomprises the sealing together of two plastic sheets after which thesealed sheets are inflated to their desired size. The inflated holder isthen laid onto a flat surface having a piece of paper or other suitablematerial from which a pattern can be made and an outline of the inflatedsealed sheets can be transferred onto the paper. The inflated holder isthen removed from the flat surface and the piece of paper is cut toprovide the configuration which had been transcribed onto the paper. Thesevered paper then serves as a pattern for making the rigid innermembers which are to be utilized within the sealed sheets. The rigidinner members can be made of any suitable material, such as cardboard orplastic.

After a rigid member 12 has been made, it is placed on sheet 12 awayfrom the edges of the sheet. Plastic sheet 10 is placed over insert 12after which the edges of the sheets are sealed as illustrated in FIG. 1.As shown in FIG. 4, sheet 1 1 has a suitable valve means 30 which may beselectively opened as desired so that the space between the members 10and 11 may be filled with air or other gas or fluid.

By employing an inner member such as 12 which is designed to fit snuglyinto position when the holder is inflated, the inner member will notfloat or have any substantial movement within the inflated holder.Moreover, when one views a picture through the transparent plasticsheets of the holder, the scene depicted is given added elegance oraesthetic effect due to the sloped contour of the plastic sheets.

Another method of making the inflatable holder of the present inventionis to select an inner member 12 of a desired size. Plastic sheets arethen selected which are larger in size than the member 12 and at leastsufficient in size to permit sealing of the edges of the sheets so thatthe rigid inner member will not be damaged or sealed in the course ofthe heat sealing operation. The sheets which form the holder will be ofsuch size as to permit them to take on the desired rounded or slopedcontour when the holder or pillow is inflated.

In those cases where a cube shape or other three dimensional type holderis employed, the inner member is designed so that when the holder isinflated, the edges of the member will seat against seams which arediametrically opposed to each other. The inner member is larger in sizethan a sheet forming one of the sides of the holder, such as in FIG. 7.The length of the inner member will be about equal to the diagonal ofthe top or bottom sheet when the sheet is in an inflated position,forming, as in the embodiment of FIG. 7, the cube-shaped holder. Inmaking the three dimension type holder, the sheets in a deflatedposition are sealed with one or more rigid members inside. Uponinflation, the inner member can be directed to seat against the seams.

While several configurations of an inner member are shown in thedrawings, it is appreciated that inner members having various shapes,either symmetrical or asymmetrical, can be employed. For example, atriangle, rectangle or oval shape inner member could be employed. Therequirement is that at least a sufiicient portion of the edges of theinner member seat against the seams of the sealed inflated holder sothat the member will be retained in a fixed position within the inflatedholder.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in theart.

What is claimed is:

1. An inflatable holder comprising:

at least two flexible plastic sheets sealed along their edges to form aleak-free seam about said sheets; at least one substantially rigid innermember positioned within said sealed sheets; said inner member beingfreely movable within said sheets when said holder is in a deflatedcondition;

at least a portion of the marginal edges of said member being positionedagainst said seam to retain said inner member in a substantially fixedposition when said holder is in an inflated condition; and,

said seam being drawn substantially inward when said holder is inflatedto contact at least a portion of the edges of said member sufficient torestrain said member from substantial movement within said inflatedholder.

2. A holder in accordance with claim 1 in which said inner member hadtwo face surfaces, with substantially all of said surfaces being spacedfrom said sheets when said holder is in an inflated condition.

3. A holder in accordance with claim 1 wherein said sheets are made ofgas impervious plastic.

4. An inflatable holder in accordance with claim 1 in which said rigidmember is a member to be displayed and said holder being of a materialadapted to permit said rigid member to be displayed therein when saidholder is inflated.

5. An inflatable holder with a substantially rigid inner member disposedwithin said holder, said holder comprising:

a first flexible sheet;

a second flexible sheet;

said first and second flexible sheets being joined together at themargins of said sheets to form a leak-free connection between saidsheets where said holder is inflated;

a substantially rigid inner member disposed within said joined sheets;

each of said sheets in a deflated condition being larger in dimensionthan said inner member and of a predetermined size in relation to saidinner member;

whereby, when said sheets forming said holder are inflated, said joinedmargins will upon inflation of said holder, be drawn inward and contactat least a portion of the edges of said inner member to hold said memberin a fixed position and free of any substantial movement within saidholder.

6. An inflatable holder as set forth in claim further including saidflexible sheets being made of plastic.

7. An inflatable holder as set forth in claim 6 having at least one tabextending from a joined margin of said sheets.

8. An inflatable holder as set forth in claim 7 having a valve means forselectively inflating said holder with a gas.

9. An inflatable holder as set forth in claim 5 wherein said sheets aremade of polyvinylchloride.

10. An inflatable holder as set forth in claim 5 wherein said sheets aremade of polyethylene.

11. An inflatable holder in accordance with claim 5 in which said rigidmember is a member to be displayed and said holder being of a materialadapted to permit said rigid member to be displayed therein when saidholder is inflated.

12. An inflatable holder comprising:

a plurality of flexible plastic sheets sealed together to provide aleak-free seam;

valve means for inflating and deflating said holder;

a substantially rigid member disposed within said holder and adapted tobe movable within said holder when the holder is deflated;

said member having at least a portion of the edges of said member seatedagainst said seam sufficient to hold said member in a substantiallyfixed position when said holder is inflated.

13. An inflatable holder in accordance with claim 12 in which said rigidmember is a member to be displayed and said holder being of a materialadapted to permit said rigid member to be displayed therein when saidholder is inflated.

14. The method of fixedly retaining a member within holder according tothe steps of:

enclosing a member within a holder made of flexible sheets which aresealed together to provide a leakfree seam with said inner member beingmovable within said holder;

inflating said holder whereby said seam is drawn inward; and,

positioning said member so that a portion of the edges of said membersufficient to retain said member in a fixed position in said holder arewedged against said seam and the face surfaces of said member aresubstantially spaced from said sheets.

2. A holder in accordance with claim 1 in which said inner member hadtwo face surfaces, with substantially all of said surfaces being spacedfrom said sheets when said holder is in an inflated condition.
 3. Aholder in accordance with claim 1 wherein said sheets are made of gasimpervious plastic.
 4. An inflatable holder in accordance with claim 1in which said rigid member is a member to be displayed and said holderbeing of a material adapted to permit said rigid member to be displayedtherein when said holder is inflated.
 5. An inflatable holder with asubstantially rigid inner member disposed within said holder, saidholder comprising: a first flexible sheet; a second flexible sheet; saidfirst and second flexible sheets being joined together at the margins ofsaid sheets to form a leak-free connection between said sheets wheresaid holder is inflated; a substantially rigid inner member disposedwithin said joined sheets; each of said sheets in a deflated conditionbeing larger in dimension than said inner member and of a predeterminedsize in relation to said inner member; whereby, when said sheets formingsaid holder are inflated, said joined margins will upon inflation ofsaid holder, be drawn inward and contact at least a portion of the edgesof said inner member to hold said member in a fixed position and free ofany substantial movement within said holder.
 6. An inflatable holder asset forth in claim 5 further including said flexible sheets being madeof plastic.
 7. An inflatable holder as set forth in claim 6 having atleast one tab extending from a joined margin of said sheets.
 8. Aninflatable holder as set forth in claim 7 having a valve means forselectively inflating said holder with a gas.
 9. An inflatable holder asset forth in claim 5 wherein said sheets are made of polyvinylchloride.10. An inflatable holder as set forth in claim 5 wherein said sheets aremade of polyethylene.
 11. An inflatable holder in accordance with claim5 in which said rigid member is a member to be displayed and said holderbeing of a material adapted to permit said rigid member to be displayedtherein when said Holder is inflated.
 12. An inflatable holdercomprising: a plurality of flexible plastic sheets sealed together toprovide a leak-free seam; valve means for inflating and deflating saidholder; a substantially rigid member disposed within said holder andadapted to be movable within said holder when the holder is deflated;said member having at least a portion of the edges of said member seatedagainst said seam sufficient to hold said member in a substantiallyfixed position when said holder is inflated.
 13. An inflatable holder inaccordance with claim 12 in which said rigid member is a member to bedisplayed and said holder being of a material adapted to permit saidrigid member to be displayed therein when said holder is inflated. 14.The method of fixedly retaining a member within holder according to thesteps of: enclosing a member within a holder made of flexible sheetswhich are sealed together to provide a leak-free seam with said innermember being movable within said holder; inflating said holder wherebysaid seam is drawn inward; and, positioning said member so that aportion of the edges of said member sufficient to retain said member ina fixed position in said holder are wedged against said seam and theface surfaces of said member are substantially spaced from said sheets.